North Carolina's Bill Belichick Pushing to Flip Oregon Ducks 5-Star Commit Kendre Harrison

The Oregon Ducks have established themselves as one of the premier destinations in college football under coach Dan Lanning, but that's not stopping the legendary Bill Belichick from targeting one of the best players in Oregon's 2026 recruiting class.

Oregon four-star tight end commit Kendre Harrison posted on X recently that Belichick, now coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, came to visit him. Harrison originally committed to the Ducks on Nov. 30.

Dec 14, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head football coach Bill Belichick is introduced during half time at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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While Belichick's visit hardly means that Harrison will flip to UNC, it's clear that he and the North Carolina coaching staff will do everything in their power to get him to Chapel Hill.

Harrison has made it clear that he's locked in with Oregon. However, it's certainly worth noting that Harrison is a product of Reidsville (North Carolina), which is a little over an hour drive away from the North Carolina campus. This certainly helps UNC's chances, as the lure of being able to play close to home is something that Lanning and the Ducks are unable to offer from Eugene.

Take a look at the picture:

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Harrison is a versatile athlete that also plays basketball. According to 247Sports, he's received basketball offers from teams like the Texas A&M Aggies, Wake Forest Demon Deacons. and Florida State Seminoles. As for football, he's gotten offers from the best programs in the country, including Ohio State, Texas, USC, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Penn State, Alabama, Michigan, Ole Miss, Miami, Florida, Colorado and many more.

Harrison is one of the headliners of a Oregon 2026 recruiting class that features four-star talents like running back Tradarian Bell, defensive linemen Tomuhini Topui, Bott Mulitalo and Tony Cumberland, offensive tackle Kodi Greene, quarterback Jonas Williams and linebacker Tristan Phillips along with three-stars like Dutch Horisk and defensive lineman Viliami Moala.

During his recruiting process, Harrison has made unofficial visits to Duke, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida State, Penn State and Miami.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks to the clock towards the end of the first half as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Harrison is listed as the No. 3 tight end in the '26 class according to 247Sports' rankings, he's one of the most impressive overrall athletes in this cycle. 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins said that Harrison offers tons of intrigue as a pass rusher for this reason.

"Must keep progressing and buy into the process at the program of his choice, but has the tools to be a true difference-maker on Saturdays," Ivins wrote. "Might also get a look on defense as he has flashed the ability to redirect and chase down quarterbacks."

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